Polin

Yesterday we visited the Polin Museum in Warsaw. This was an exhibit that focused on the thousand year history of Jews in Poland. I feel like a lot of narrative of Jews is Poland is SELRES_b472305e-e586-4569-84d9-edd16dfc4d97SELRES_b472305e-e586-4569-84d9-edd16dfc4d97Jews lived in Poland with equal status and rights, Jews thrived in Poland. But as I was going through the exhibit, I found a quote that I feel really encompasses what we have been studying.

“How I wish I could eradicate hate…I wish I could reconcile Poles and Jews; the history of both these nations is a history of suffering.” Earlier in the day we had a lecture from Dr. Bilewicz, a professor and researcher at the University of Warsaw. In this lecture we talked about competitive victim hood. Victims of the Nazis and other genocides feel as if the Jews get museums and more remembrance and its unfair. And this competition can create some anti-Semitic attitudes. But the more I’m learning, the more questions I have so I’m excited to keep reading, listening, exploring and talking on this trip.